Inspired to be...Courageous: Amber of Under the Oklahoma Sky

The Inspired Series is back for the month! I'm so happy to welcome October's four lovely guests and their thoughts on courage. Today's guest is Amber from Under the Oklahoma Sky. Amber's blogging style is very down-to-earth and encouraging with lots of beautiful photos. She is working on a rebrand right now to be unveiled in December. Exciting things are happening for this girl! :) Welcome, Amber! Thanks for sharing about who inspires you to be courageous...

When I think of a courageous person who inspires me - it's a no-brainer, that would be my mama. She is courageous in many ways, and they aren't cliche. Growing up, my mama was raised in a less than ideal environment that included drinking and fighting constantly. 

She recounts the times of holding the pillow over her head to drown out the fighting. She told me that story without shedding a single tear. This is because my mama told herself that she would never raise her kids in that atmosphere. She waited for a man of God, and then He answered her prayers when she married my daddy. She did not become her circumstances or make excuses. She courageously trusted God and stuck to her beliefs. 

While I wasn't there to witness her bravery then, I got to watch her courageousness firsthand three years ago. One day, she announced that she was going on a diet. She wasn't doing it for other people, but for her own health. So she set out to shed that weight. Twelve months later, the scale showed her 65 pounds lighter. I was right by her side each step of the way [literally]. She changed her eating habits, and we walked thirty minutes every day. She never once complained when I pushed her to go that extra mile.

When I am faced with tough decisions or circumstances in my life, I think of my mama. She beat the odds and statistics. She inspires me to face life boldly with strong faith. I believe that's what courage is - deciding to keep pressing on, even when it's easier to quit or make excuses.

Thanks for sharing your mom's story with us, Amber! Very inspiring. :)

Make sure you guys leave a comment below to thank Amber for stopping by! :) I hope you find all the courage you need to meet your day. 

-Song